Pressure-sensitive laminating lapping means



Oct. 18, 1966 c, FOUKAL 3,279,970

PRESSURE-SENSITIVE LAMINATING LAPPING MEANS Filed May 28, 1963 3v ;L j

* FIG. 3

FRONT I 2 3 ,RENIDVABLE BACK CLEAR FACE 46 MOUNTlNG ADHESIVE CLEAR LAMINATINC ADHESIVE I7 BACKGROUND BASE 4 27 CLEAR LAMINATINC ADHESIVE PRINTED SURFACE REVERSE-PRINTED SURFACE LABEL BASE I2 26 CLEAR FACE MOUNTING ADHESIVE I3 REMOVABLE BACK FRONT FIG. 4 FIG. 5

DONALD C. FOUKAL United States Patent 3,279,970 PRESSURE-SENSITIVE LAMINATING LAIPPING MEANE Donald C. Foukal, Shaker Heights, ()hio, assignor to Avery Products Corporation, a corporation of California Filed May 28, 1963, Ser. No. 283,925 1 Claim. (Cl. 156-270) This invention relates to a method of providing an additional lamina or laminae on a succession of separate sheets, such as label sheets or signs, which have been silk screened or otherwise decorated by label or sign manufacturers on stock provided by stock manufacturers.

Labels, signs and the like are frequently printed or otherwise decorated in manufacturing arrangements in which the decorating steps are not adapted to printing of a continuous web but rather are adapted to printing of a succession of separate sheets. This may be particularly true of silk screening operations. Prior to or subsequent to the decorating step, each sheet may be die-cut to form one of a plurality of individual labels, signs, displays or the like.

Obviously such individual sheets, when decorated, may be individually combined with additional sheets to form additional laminations in the label, sign, display or the like. However, it is far simpler to form one or more additionallaminae by combining the successive sheets with a single initially continuous additional web (which is provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive) by feeding the additional web and the succession of sheets through a simple laminating means such as a pair of laminating rolls. This makes it possible furthermore for the manufacturer of label stock and the like to provide the material for the additional lamina in the form of a continuous web which may be readily and economically handled in roll form and which lends itself to simple feeding arrangements in the laminator since the web may be unwrapped in a continuous manner during the laminating operation.

A difficulty is the problem of dividing the initially continuous additional web so as to properly maintain the integrity of the transverse register-defining guide edge of each separate sheet or label or the like. Such transverse guide edges (in association with a longitudinal guide edge) are usually provided in label sheets and the like in order to obtain accurate register in subsequent fabricating or decorating operations, such as die-cutting, embossing, supplemental printing, or the like.

If following lamination the initially continuous additional web is severed at locations even slightly out of register with the transverse register-defining guide edges of the succession of sheets, then the guide edges will not operate properly to maintain registration of each sheet in subsequent operations,

The present invention provides an arrangement for combining a succession of sheets having transverse register-defining guide edges with an initially continuous additional web which is then severed between successive sheets to re-divide the sheets, but the arrangement is such as to maintain the integrity of the guide edges without, however, having to precisely register the severances of the initially continuous web with the transverse guide edges.

The advantages and significance of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic illustration of a combining operation which does not embody the invention, but which is set forth for better exposition of the invention.

FIGURES 2 and 3 are illustrations, similar to FIG- URE 1, but illustrating the practice of the invention.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary, schematic cross-section of a sheet and web construction that may be involved in the commercial use of the invention.

FIGURE 5 is another fragmentary, schematic crosssection of a sheet and web construction that may be involved in the commercial use of the invention.

As indicated in FIGURE 4, it may be desired to print a number of labels, signs or the like by providing a series of separate sheets each of which includes label stock 11, pressure-sensitive adhesive 12 for eventual use in mounting the label on a mounting surface, and a removable protective backing 13. The surface 14 of the label may be silk screened or otherwise decorated prior to the operations to which the present invention directly relates.

The label manufacturer decorates the surface 14 of successive sheets each of which comprises laminae 11, 12 and 13. He then protects the decorated surface 14 by laminating the successive sheets to an initially continuous web comprising a clear face 16 and a clear adhesive 17. The adhesive 17 is the laminating adhesive. The web is then severed to re-divide the sheets. In the final product the clear face 16 overlies the decorated surface 14. The front of the final label, sign, or the like is indicated in FIGURE 4.

In another application it may be desired to print a number of labels, signs, or the like by providing a series of separate sheets each of which includes label stock 26 in the form of a clear face adapted to be reverse-printed, silk screened, or otherwise decorated on the face 24 prior to the operations to which the present invention directly relates.

The label manufacturer decorates the surface 24 of such successive sheets comprising the clear face material 26. He then laminates the decorated sheets to an initially continuous web comprising the remaining lamina shown in FIGURE 5. The web is then severed to re-divide the sheets.

The initially continuous web consists of a clear laminating adhesive coated on a base or background layer 21 which may be a metallized plastic film, a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 22, and a removable backing sheet 23. The pressure-sensitive adhesive 22 is for eventual use in mounting the label on a surface. The base or background layer 21 provides a contrasting background for characters or the like printed on the inner surface 24 of the clear face 26. The front of the final label, or the like, is indicated in FIGURE 5.

In the discussion to follow it will be understood that the successive sheets referred to may be constructions like the laminae 11, 12, and 13 on the one hand, or the lamina 26 on the other hand, or may be other constructions. The continuous web referred to may be constructions like the laminae 16 and 17 on the one hand, or the laminae 27, 21, 22, and 23 on the other hand, or may be other constructions.

Shown in FIGURE 1 is a succession of separate sheets 31, which is divided by dividing line 32. Either the leading or the trailing edge of each sheet is intended to constitute a transverse register-defining guide edge to be used at subsequent times to properly register the sheet for embossing, die-cutting, or printing operations, or the like. These sheets are to be combined with a continuous web 33 by passing the web and the succession of sheets between laminating rolls 34.

After the lamination is accomplished, it is necessary to sever the web 33 along a line of severance which is precisely in register with the associated dividing line 32, as indicated at A in FIGURE 1. It will be seen that if the severance is out of register, as indicated at B or C, the integrity of the transverse register-defining guide edge will not be maintained. Thus, if there is a cut extending as far out of register as the point B and the guide edge is the leading edge, the guide edge will be cut off too short, since it is not practical to cut through only the thickness of the web 32 without also cutting through the immediately associated sheet 31, particularly if the cutting is done manually, as is frequently most feasible in low volume applications. The sheet may therefore be out of register at either or both sides (depending on the straightness of the cut) in any subsequent operation by an amount which may be as much as the distance 41 -indi cated in FIGURE 1. If, on the other hand, the trailing edges of the sheets 31 are used as the transverse registerdefining guide edges, a cut extending as far out of register as the point B will leave a rearwardly projecting portion of the web 33 at the trailing edge and will therefore interfere with proper register. And the sheet may be out of register at either or both sides by an amount which may be as much as the distance 41.

If there is a cut extending as far out of register as the point C and the guide edge is the trailing edge, the guide edge will be cut off too short. The sheet will therefore be out of register in any subsequent operation by amounts which may be as much as the distance 42 indicated in FIGURE 1. If, on the other hand, the leading edges of the sheets 31 are used as the transverse register defining guide edge, a cut which extends out of register as far as the point C will leave a forwardly projecting portion of the web 33 at the leading edge and will there fore interfere with proper registration. The sheet will be out of register by as much as the distance 42 at one or both sides.

Accordingly for the FIGURE 1 operation to succeed the severances of the web 33 must be perfectly straight and in perfect register with the divisions 32. This is almost impossible to accomplish manually.

According to the invention, the sheets are not spaced from each other, and yet the severance of the web 33 need not be accomplished with precise registry. Also in the vicinity of each division between the successive sheets 31, there is a spacing of one of the sheets away from the con-tinuous web 33 so that at the location where the web 33 is severed, there is no directly contiguous portion of a sheet 31.

In the method contemplated by the invention, the successive sheets 31 and the initially continuous web 33 are fed through the laminating rolls with the transverse guide edge of each sheet 31 overlapping the apposite edge of the adjacent sheet. After lamination, the initially continuous web 33 is severed along transverse lines slightly spaced toward the main portion of each sheet from the apposite edge.

FIGURE 2 illustrates the case where the trailing edge of each sheet 31 is the transverse register-defining guide edge. The sheets are fed through the laminating rolls 34 with such trailing edge overlapping the apposite leading edge of the adjacent (succeeding) sheet. Following lamination, the initially continuous web 33 is then severed along a line slightly spaced from such apposite or leading edge toward the main portion of the sheet with which the transverse guide edge (trailing edge) under consideration is associated.

FIGURE 3 illustrates the case where the leading edge of each sheet 31 is the transverse register-defining guide edge. The sheets are fed through the laminating rolls 34- with such leading edge overlapping the apposite trailing edge of the adjacent (preceding) sheet. Following lamination, the initially continuous web 33 is then severed along a line slgihtly spaced from such apposite or trailing edge toward the main portion of the sheet with which the transverse guide edge (leading edge) under considera' tion is associated.

Thus in both FIGURES 2 and 3, transverse severance of the Web 33 at the points B, C, or any place in between does not interfere with the register-defining function of the guide edge (the trailing edges in the case of FIGURE 2 and the leading edges in the case of FIGURE 3). The line of severance may be straight or crooked and may be out of register with the line of division betWeen successive sheets 31 by as much as the amounts 41 and 42 without interfering with proper register and subsequent operations. The overlapping holds the critical portion of each sheet 31 away-from contiguous relationship with the web 33. A out within this held-away area results in a stepped relationship between the web 33 and the register-defining guide edge, and this stepped relationship is always such that the severed edge of the web 33 is set inwardly from the guiding register-defining edge.

This invention is not restricted to the slavish imitation of each and every one of the details described above which have been set forth merely by way of example with the intent of most clearly seting forth the teaching of the invention. Obviously devices may be provided which change, eliminate, or add certain specific details without departing from the invention.

What is claimed is:

A method of combining a succession of separate sheets, each having a transverse register-defining guide edge to e used at subsequent times to properly register the sheet, with an initially continuous additional web which is then severed between successive sheets to re-divide the sheets While maintaining the integrity of the guide edges without however having to precisely register the severances of the initially continuous web with the guide edges cdmpising the steps of (1) feeding the successive sheets and the initially continuous web through laminating means with the transverse guide edge of each sheet overlapping the apposite edge of the adjacent sheet and then (2) severing the initially continuous web along a line slightly spaced toward the main portion of each sheet from said apposite edge of the adjacent sheet.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,098,258 11/1937 Rowe 156-270 2,674,559 4/1954 Zobel 156-250 2,997,417 8/1961 Dirks 156-250 FOREIGN PATENTS 471,553 9/1950 Italian. 876,101 8/1961 Great Britain.

EARL M. BERGERT, Primary Examiner. DOUGLAS 1. DRUMMOND, Examiner. 

